The challenges of wound management for hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an under-reported, poorly understood and often mismanaged inflammatory skin condition that manifests itself as painful, inflamed areas or boils. Although blind at first, it develops into exuding lesions often with tracking sinuses, leaving painfully stretched and scarred skin. While advances have been made in surgical and pharmaceutical interventions to interrupt the disease and prevent infection, effective wound management, evidence and guidelines remain limited. This article describes the experiences of an HS sufferer, in her quest for a satisfactory and acceptable wound management solution. It is hoped that the author's criteria for the ideal wound management system for HS will be the starting point for discussion and development of sound HS wound care guidelines.